Lint processing fluid pump for a laundry appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10655266-B2
Application number	US-201615364987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2016
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A lint removal system for a laundry appliance includes a lint washing assembly adapted to deliver wet lint to a disposal area. An impeller is disposed within a continuous processing chamber of a pump casing, the impeller operable to deliver a fluid from the disposal area to a drain outlet. A blade assembly is disposed within the continuous processing chamber, the blade assembly rotationally operable to process the wet lint from the disposal area to define lint particles that are delivered with the fluid to the drain outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lint removal system for a laundry appliance, the lint removal system comprising:
a lint disposal assembly adapted to deliver wet lint to a lint disposal area;
an at least partially open impeller disposed within a single processing chamber of a pump casing, the at least partially open impeller operable to deliver a fluid from the lint disposal area to a drain outlet; and
a blade assembly disposed within a cylindrical wall of the single processing chamber, the blade assembly having a rotating blade that is rotationally operable about a rotational axis to process the wet lint from the lint disposal area to define lint particles that are delivered with the fluid to the drain outlet, wherein the blade assembly includes the rotating blade having an outer edge that is generally angled with respect to the rotational axis and slidably engages a filter to process the wet lint, the rotating blade rotating within the filter, wherein the filter includes a generally conical shape that defines a fluid flow area between the filter and the cylindrical wall of the single processing chamber, wherein the generally conical shape of the filter narrows in a direction of the at least partially open impeller to define the fluid flow area as having a cross-sectional area between the generally conical shape of the filter and the cylindrical wall that increases in the direction of the at least partially open impeller to promote a flow of fluid and lint particles in a horizontal direction toward the at least partially open impeller.

2. The lint removal system of claim 1 , wherein the filter includes a plurality of apertures and the blade assembly slidably engages an inside surface of the filter proximate at least a portion of the apertures.

3. The lint removal system of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the apertures define a cutting surface of the filter, the cutting surface being slidably engaged by the rotating blade.

4. The lint removal system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor attached to the pump casing; and
a drive shaft in communication with the motor, the at least partially open impeller and the blade assembly, wherein operation of the motor rotates the at least partially open impeller and a portion of the blade assembly within the single processing chamber to process the wet lint into the lint particles and move the lint particles to the drain outlet.

5. The lint removal system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of apertures includes fluid apertures and processing apertures, wherein the processing apertures at least partially define the cutting surface.

6. The lint removal system of claim 1 , wherein the blade assembly is coupled to the pump casing at a fluid and lint inlet in communication with the lint disposal area.

7. The lint removal system of claim 1 , wherein the pump casing includes a fluid and lint inlet positioned proximate the blade assembly and a pump outlet positioned proximate the at least partially open impeller.

8. A lint processing pump comprising:
a pump casing having an interior cavity;
an impeller disposed within the interior cavity; and
a blade assembly disposed within a cylindrical wall of the pump casing, upstream of the impeller, the blade assembly including a rotationally operable blade and a filter engaged with the blade, wherein the blade and the filter are a generally conical shape and the blade concentrically rotates within an inside surface of the filter, wherein a fluid flow area is defined between the generally conical shape of the filter and the cylindrical wall of the pump casing; wherein
the generally conical shape of the filter narrows in a direction of the impeller to define the fluid flow area between the cylindrical wall and the filter as an expanding area that enlarges in the direction of the impeller; and
operation of the blade defines a lint processing state of the blade assembly wherein the blade slidably engages a cutting surface of the filter and produces a suction-type force to move wet lint from the blade assembly, through the expanding area of the fluid flow area and toward the impeller.

9. The lint processing pump of claim 8 , further comprising:
a motor and a drive shaft rotationally operated by the motor, wherein each of the impeller and the blade are attached to the drive shaft.

10. The lint processing pump of claim 8 , wherein the filter is a generally conical screen having a plurality of apertures defined therein.

11. The lint processing pump of claim 10 , wherein the cutting surface of the filter is defined by an edge of at least one of the apertures.

12. The lint processing pump of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of apertures includes fluid apertures and processing apertures, wherein the processing apertures at least partially define the cutting surface.

13. The lint processing pump of claim 8 , wherein the blade assembly is coupled to the pump casing at a fluid and lint inlet.

14. The lint processing pump of claim 8 , wherein the pump casing includes a fluid and lint inlet positioned proximate the blade assembly and a pump outlet positioned proximate the impeller.

15. The lint processing pump of claim 8 , wherein the interior cavity includes a single processing cavity that houses the impeller and the blade assembly.

16. A lint processing pump comprising:
a pump casing having a single processing cavity that includes a cylindrical wall;
an impeller disposed within the single processing cavity upstream of a pump outlet; and
a blade assembly disposed within the cylindrical wall of the single processing cavity downstream of a fluid and lint inlet, wherein rotational operation of the blade assembly defines a lint processing state and places the fluid and lint inlet in communication with the pump outlet via the single processing cavity, wherein the blade assembly is generally conical and includes a rotating blade that slidably engages a filter having a plurality of apertures, an inside surface of the filter extending conically along a horizontal rotational axis of the blade, wherein the generally conical filter narrows along the horizontal rotational axis and in a direction of the impeller to define an expanding space between the cylindrical wall and the filter, wherein the impeller and the blade assembly are horizontally positioned to rotate about the horizontal rotational axis and within the cylindrical wall of the single processing cavity to produce a suction-type force that defines a fluid flow space within the expanding space therebetween to promote a horizontal flow of the fluid through the fluid flow space, and wherein operation of the impeller and the blade assembly moves the fluid through the blade assembly.

17. The lint processing pump of claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the apertures define a cutting surface of the filter, the cutting surface being slidably engaged by the rotating blade to define the lint processing state of the blade assembly.

18. The lint processing pump of claim 16 , further comprising:
a motor attached to the pump casing; and
a drive shaft in communication with the motor, the impeller and the blade assembly, wherein operation of the motor rotates the impeller and a portion of the blade assembly within the single processing cavity.

19. The lint processing pump of claim 18 , wherein the blade is a rotating blade and operation of the motor rotates the rotating blade of the blade assembly.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Rajendran Arun
• Vriezema Michael Jon

Classifications

• D06F39/10 Primary

  Filtering arrangements · CPC title

• D06F37/145

  ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid · CPC title

• A47L15/4208

  Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning · CPC title

• A47L15/4225

  Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps · CPC title

• A47L15/4227

  with macerator arrangements for chopping entrained food particles · CPC title